Why it matters
A restorative ritual against creeping overload. Pressure builds when new work keeps arriving and nothing ever leaves. Pausing before each planning cycle to decide what to stop or resource differently makes sustainable pace a team decision, not an individual struggle.
How to run it
- Before planning starts, list the current commitments.
- Ask: What should we stop? What should we slow down? What needs more resource?
- Decide — the leader confirms what will actually change.
- Plan with the new pace, then check at the next Pace Check whether it held.
From the free playbook: Operationalising Rituals Using the Büdaya Framework — with the canvas, pilot plan and review signals to run it well.
Watch out for
- Naming things to stop and then never stopping them
When not to use it
It only works with real authority to change workload and priorities. Without it, the ritual raises expectations it can’t meet.
